K-pop boy group ENHYPEN's leader JUNGWON flatly denied the romance rumors linking him to WINTER, a K-pop girl group aespa member.
JUNGWON spoke on the recent romance rumors surrounding him on December 12 during his live stream on Weverse, an online star-fan communication platform.
"Someone here is asking in the comment section, 'You're in a relationship?'.", JUNGWON laughed and remarked, "I'm not."
"I've seen someone accusing me of smoking, and that's not true as well; I don't smoke. I'm not sure if the person behind the post had thought about the consequences they'll face. Anyway, I'm not a smoker, and I'm not in a relationship. It's ridiculous.", the ENHYPEN member said.
On the 11th, romance rumors about JUNGWON and WINTER based on an online post started to spread.
An online user claimed they spotted WINTER and JUNGWON on a date at a bar in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
The user uploaded pictures and a video showing a man and a woman in a bar, saying that it's JUNGWON and WINTER; however, the faces of both man and woman were covered with masks and caps in the pictures.

The user wrote, "How happy you two must be that many of your schedules will cross in the coming end-of-year season."
"You should have known better than to wear the clothes you wore when filming a challenge.", they added, showing WINTER in a dance challenge sporting similar clothes as the woman in the photos.
"WINTER left first, took a cab, and then Yang Jung-won (JUNGWON's real name) took another cab.", the user claimed.

The user soon deleted the post as it exploded and circulated all over social media.
WINTER's agency, SM Entertainment, denied the rumors and called them "groundless".
"The person who uploaded the photos contacted a media outlet and attempted to directly communicate with our company with the intention of monetary gain."
"As the media outlet said they could not connect an agency with someone who came up with a tip with the intention of monetary gain, the person maliciously posted the photos. We will take legal action.", the company stated.
JUNGWON's agency, BELIFT LAB, also denied the speculations: "It is not true. BELIFT LAB will react strongly to the breach of our artists' privacy, as well as the production and distribution of harmful rumors."

(Credit= Weverse, Online Community, SBS Entertainment News/Baik Seung-chul)
(SBS Star)